Flute And Fire

by Jill Wilder

  Chapter 27

  The Solar Star Base was reaching closer to the dark cloak of the moon. They were able to make the maneuver undetected by the enemy. Soon they will be in the darkness of the shadow and then all that will be left is the wait. Meanwhile, The Captain called for a feast to be held. There will be one last Inipi then a feast following of the finest of foods that can be prepared.

  In the Reservatory, Keo gathered the People together for one last story to share.

  “This story was told to me long ago by my very own Grandmother. What a story teller she was too!” Keo paused and looked around and saw all the faces he had grown to love surrounding him, listening to all his words. He saw the Captain and Stone sitting together. Taking in a deep breath he began his last sharing. His last story to be told.

  “Long ago there was a Mother. Every morning upon waking she would honor the Sacred directions with tobacco and a prayer of thanks. She would thank the Creator, Wakan Tanka, the Great Mystery, for the bringing of the day. For the air that filled her lungs. For all the winged, the plants, the four legged and the creeper crawlers.

  She did this each and every morning. Rain, snow, cold, nothing stopped her from going out to her favorite little willow tree and giving up this prayer. She always did this just before the break of dawn, when the door to the spirit world was open at its widest. The time when she knew her words would easily reach Wakan Tanka, the Great Mystery.

  Every morning her young five year old son would watch from a distance this daily practice. He learned from her action the sacredness of the tobacco. He learned the meaning and importance of each direction. The East belonging to the beginning, to the spiritual road, to the infants; the South belonging to nurturing, the flow of the great waters, to the growing years, to all that is green; the West belonging to the Thunder Beings, the storms that cleanse, the darkness in which we face our fears, to the adulthood and lessons learned; the North belonging to the time of reflection, time of purification, placidity and to the Elders; the Father Sky belonging to the spirit world, the land of the winged who carries our prayers, the air that fills our lungs, to the home of the wind; and Mother Earth, belonging to all medicines that heal, the shelter provided, the food supplied, without her we would not be.

  So every morning the Mother would go to her favorite little tree and pray and from a distance the boy would watch and learn.

  One spring a big storm with great winds came and cut the tree down with its great power. The Mother still came to the spot where the fallen tree laid and prayed, but was very sadden by the loss of the tree. The young son still watched from a distance and he too felt sadden by the loss of the sacred tree.

  Later that afternoon when the storm ceased, the son asked the Mother for some tobacco. She asked him why he wanted the tobacco. With his red bandana clutched in his hands he bowed his head and said, ‘because I want to pray.’

  The Mother was moved, so she gave him tobacco.

  The son went to the spot where the Mother’s favorite little willow had fallen and laid upon the ground. From a distance the Mother watched as the son offered tobacco to all the sacred directions. She then watched the son pull the little tree up and with his red bandana he tied it to the remaining stump left in the ground. The son was praying for healing for his Mother’s favorite little tree.

  Again, the Mother was moved by her son‘s actions.

  She was proud he understood prayer, but she also understood a lesson in death needed to be taught. So she joined him by the tree and thanked him for his thoughts, however, she explained, that everything in life has its time to journey on. To cross over and complete the circle. But she assured the child that Wakan Tanka heard his prayer.

  For the next seven days it rained off and on, the gray clouds seeming to never cease. On the eighth day the skies were clear again. The Mother was out praying at the spot were her favorite little willow once stood. As she looked down at the ground she was amazed at what she saw. In the distance was the son, waiting and watching. She looked up to her son, smiled and motioned him to come to her. When he reached her side, she pointed to the ground where the tree once grew. ‘Look child, the Great Mystery heard your prayers! Now you have learned the power of prayer’ There at their feet were seven saplings rising from the ground.”

  Keo paused a moment for the silence to engulf the room. Then he spoke again, “We are about to partake in our last Inipi and want each and every one of you to remember these three things.

  Just like in the little willow tree and all of life there is death. But in that death is the completing of the sacred circle. A movement of energy to the next world.

  With giving yourself to the faith of prayer and to the awesomeness of Wakan Tanka, we give breath to powerful miracles. The energy moves mountains and the energy moves People.

  In all of life there is renewal. The tree dies and breaks down into the ground becoming rich food for the saplings. When grandmothers and grandfathers die, they leave behind a part of themselves in their children and their children’s new born babes. The renewal.

  Peace be with you as we enter the sacred womb and begin our talk with the Great Grandfather Rocks. Maytaka Oyasin!”

  In the Reservatory, there were sixteen Inipis set up with four big fires servicing four sweat lodges each. Instead of the solar energy used to feed the heat, there were sacred rocks brought to the fires just for this very moment. Rocks that were carried back from various trips in releasing of the animals in the past. Soon the voices would be swelling with prayer songs and drums keeping the heart beat in each and every lodge.

  Stone looked down at the ground before he rose from his seat. Once risen he took in a deep breath and moved over to the Inipi. After being bathed in cedar, he entered the prayer lodge. After the door was closed and the songs began and the steam rose from the rocks, Stone knew he was going to leave his ideas of revenge forever behind. He now knew his walk to the other side was going to be a Holy one. There he will be with his Father again. This whole event was not for revenge but a renewal for the People.

  The Captain was next to him, in his own world of prayers. He missed his son so much it hurt, but even more he longed to see Eve again. The songs rose from his voice and he cried as he tore himself from the heartache of choosing. Soon his heart began to feel lighter and he knew his choice was the right one. He loved his son, Keith. He loved his wife, Eve. Wakan Tanka has a way of making the path clear.

  After the inipi was complete, everyone joined in on the great feast. Nothing was spared. There was no need in rationing for soon there will no longer be a need for the supplies on the ship. There was Elk roasting along with Deer and Pig. All of the fruit from the trees in the Reservatory was harvested. The table was filled with all the squash, beans and corn from the gardens and savory nuts from the trees. Everyone enjoyed the feast.

  Laughter filled the air and smiles floated from one face to another. Company was shared and stories were told. Songs were filtering through the air as the drum beat seemed to never end. Everyone was happy and seemed to welcome the day to come with grace and accepted their fate like true Akicitas, Warriors! The aroma was that of sage, sweet grass and cedar. Life was good and tomorrow was just another day.